Bungy Jumper lives to tell the tale! 03:13 PM on Thu 09 Jan 2014

Bungy Jump! On your Bucket List? Base Backpackers in Auckland sent one of our staff, Alan, hurling off the Auckland Harbour Bridge in New Zealand whilst attached to a Bungy Chord! He lived to tell the tale...

Jumping off a bridge.

With only elastic tied to my feet.

I didn’t really think about it when I agreed, and honestly I wasn’t nervous in the days leading up to it.

Even after getting picked up and welcomed by the beautiful people back at the AJ Hackett base and strapped into my sexy overalls I was calm and relaxed. The vibrant staff made me feel excited about the jump and set me up with all the safety gear necessary for the experience ahead of me.

After getting to know the team and the new friends I would bond with over the adrenaline rush that was to follow, we were prepped with a safety talk and a clear itinerary for the next hour. Still relaxed.

It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining, the sky was blue and the warm breeze was just right. At the bridge entrance just across the road from the AJ Hackett base the views of the hills and the bay of West Auckland and the city to the East were amazing, although nothing compared to what we would be seeing later on in the tour. One swipe of a key and we began climbing the structural marvel that is the Auckland Harbour Bridge. The views became more and more breathtaking as we continued to climb. The boats and the blue sea carved a perfect picture of the harbour, lulling me into a sense of security. I was surprisingly still relaxed. I couldn’t possibly feel a sense of dread on a day as gorgeous as this, surely...

We reached the underside of the arch of the bridge I looked up at a small structure attached to the beams – the jumping pod! It was from here that I would hurl myself head first towards the waters that separated Auckland’s city centre from its idyllic North Shore.

I looked at the waters below me. This is the moment I no longer felt relaxed! I attempted to ration my breath as I came to the realisation that in no less than 10 minutes I would be jumping off this thing, and bouncing around above the blue.

The AJ Hackett boys created quite the atmosphere – the pod was filled with music and they continued to pump us up while attaching the bungy to our feet and sending us off one at a time. Those of us who were waiting or had already jumped watched through the glass walls and on the video screens as each person experienced the elation for themselves.

Then it was my turn.

I edged toward the precipice and posed for my pre jump photos attempting with all of my power to stay cool and look good. As the AJ Hackett lads counted me down I looked over the edge. There was nowhere left to go but down. 3...2...1...

I am not a loud person. I don’t scream, shout or make much noise in general. But I’m sure the cry that echoed from my lungs on this particular occasion reverberated around the whole of Auckland Harbour. Adrenaline rushed through my body as I plummeted toward the water. I enjoyed the first few bounces and let the bungy throw me around in the air.

It was a truly awesome feeling. Liberating, exhilarating, just... just truly awesome. No words on a screen can justify it.

I pulled the chords at my ankles to turn myself upright, and enjoyed the stunning views of the Auckland area as I was pulled back up, blood pumping through my body with sheer excitement. As I stepped back onto the pod, greeted by applause and high fives all round, pumped up and with a huge grin across my face, there was only one thought running through my mind: